What we learned today, Wednesday 3 May
That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today – thanks so much for joining us. Here is a wrap of the day’s biggest stories:
The Northern Territory chief minister, Natasha Fyles, announced her government was giving a green light for gas production in the Beetaloo Basin, a move environment organisations and scientists have warned will have an unacceptable impact on the climate.
Two police officers have been stabbed and an alleged offender shot dead in an incident at Crystal Brook, a small community about 200km north of Adelaide. The police officers are in a serious but stable condition.
Tasmania will officially be added to the AFL and AFLW map, with a team representing the state expected in 2028.
Thousands of workers from Victorian universities walked off the job today as part of national industrial action, pushing back against wage theft, casual employment and underfunding.
State and territory housing ministers have written to senators urging them to approve the $10bn housing affordability future fund, a move heaping pressure on the Greens and crossbench to pass Labor’s bill.
Mehreen Faruqi will launch federal court action against Pauline Hanson under the Racial Discrimination Act, after the One Nation founder told the Greens senator to “piss off back to Pakistan” in an ugly social media clash following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The multibillion-dollar Snowy Hydro 2.0 development will be delayed by up to two years and face another cost blowout.
Despite being a “lifelong republican”, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says he will pledge his allegiance to King Charles III.
Have a lovely evening, everyone. We will be back with you tomorrow morning bright and early.
Updated
Puppies survive huge house fire in Sydney’s west
Dozens of puppies have survived after a house burst into flames in Sydney’s west this afternoon, Nine News reports.
The home on Cut Hill Road in Cobbitty was well alight just after 3pm, with Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW rushing to the property.
More than a dozen puppies, goats and sheep were running to safety in the backyard as the fire was extinguished.
The house has been completely destroyed. Fire crews are investigating what sparked the blaze.
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MasterChef to air from Sunday following shock death of Jock Zonfrillo
MasterChef Australia will air on Sunday, six days after it was delayed as a mark of respect after the sudden death of judge Jock Zonfrillo, Network Ten has announced.
“With the full support of Jock Zonfrillo’s family, MasterChef Australia will air at 7.30pm on Sunday, 7 May,” the network said.
A special tribute episode of The Sunday Project will air before the first MasterChef episode of season 15, which was filmed before Zonfrillo died aged 46.
Ten said:
MasterChef Australia Judge Jock Zonfrillo took great pride in challenging and coaching the contestants and of course inspiring a nation of home cooks.
It is with Jock in our hearts that we cherish this season and remember the charismatic and big-hearted Judge and Chef who we knew and loved. Jock will be remembered in the MasterChef Australia kitchen for years to come.
More on this story here:
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Vape detector trial to stop ‘scourge’ at WA schools
Western Australia’s education department will trial vape detectors in school toilets in a bid to stop students inhaling from electronic cigarettes, AAP reports.
The state’s education minister, Tony Buti, says the detectors will initially be installed at 10 public schools to combat “this problem that is impacting many of our school students”.
Buti said parents, teachers and principals had told him nicotine vaping was a “major problem” and six public and some private schools had already installed vaping detectors.
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NAB passes on RBA’s surprise rate rise to customers
NAB is the first of Australia’s major four banks to pass on an interest rate rise to its customers after the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85%.
From 12 May, the bank said the standard variable home loan interest rate would increase by 0.25% a year.
The NAB group executive personal banking, Rachel Slade, said:
The Reserve Bank’s decision to pause rates in April gave Australians some breathing room after 10 consecutive rate rises.
With the cash rate increasing again, there may be some customers who are concerned about their financial position, and we are here to help.
Updated
Mehreen Faruqi to sue Pauline Hanson over offensive tweet
Mehreen Faruqi will launch federal court action against Pauline Hanson under the Racial Discrimination Act, after the One Nation founder told the Greens senator to “piss off back to Pakistan” in an ugly social media clash following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Faruqi wants Hanson to make a $150,000 donation to charity and to publish a new tweet saying she had used offensive language. The New South Wales senator said she chose to escalate legal action over the September 2022 tweet after a complaint through the Human Rights Commission was terminated.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Almost half of Australians want to see welfare payments increased, survey finds
Hello from grey old Canberra.
Given the state of *gestures to everything* I thought it was worth taking a look at the latest SEC Newgate Mood of the Nation.
And the vibes – well, they aren’t good.
That shouldn’t surprise anyone who has been paying attention. The survey, taken across the country mid last month – so before the working age income support debate blew up in the government’s face – shows Australians are quite worried about people on welfare and how they’re getting by, given the cost-of-living pressures.
Around one in four respondents say they are experiencing financial difficulty, with 28% of that group reporting they are only managing to make ends meet, while 11% are having difficulty paying their bills.
So, not surprisingly, the cost of living was the number one issue raised in the survey.
But Australians also want to see their government do something for people on low working age support payments – things like jobseeker, youth study and the sole parenting payment. In fact, 47% of respondents want to see the government improve those payments.
But with the cost of living biting and no real relief on the horizon, there is also increased negativity in how people are feeling in general, with 56% of people reporting experiencing negative emotions, with anxious, stressed, exhausted and overwhelmed all rating highly.
At this stage, it doesn’t look like the budget will answer those worries.
Updated
Pocock blasts Labor after fracking green light in Beetaloo Basin
The independent senator David Pocock has blasted the Northern Territory government’s decision to give the green light on fracking in the Beetaloo Basin, saying the federal and NT governments can’t “have it both ways”.
Speaking on the ABC, Pocock said:
This is so disappointing to see in 2023 Labor governments pushing for the expansion of the fossil fuel industry.
We’re seeing politicians wanting to have it both ways. They talk about how much they’re doing for the climate, and at the same time expand the fossil fuel industry.
We’ve got more than enough gas for the transition. We export almost 75% of our gas. And I find it a little bit embarrassing to hear politicians roll out lines that are straight from the gas lobby sort of playbook.
The territory’s deputy chief minister, Nicole Manison, said following the announcement today:
We want nations to be able to decarbonise the economy in a safe and sustainable way and gas will be that important fuel of transition. The onshore gas industry will also be good for the territory’s economy.
Our Lisa Cox has more on the announcement here:
Updated
Increasing jobseeker will reduce homelessness among young people, homelessness charities say
Australia’s largest homelessness organisations are calling for an increase in income support payments for all ages in next week’s federal budget.
MCM, Anglicare, The Salvation Army, Launch Housing and Uniting have banded together to call for the government to substantially increase jobseeker and youth allowance.
They said:
It is our collective view that the rate of working-age income support payments needs to be raised for all age groups to reflect the reality of the experience of people relying on income support to live.
Increasing income support payments is an essential step to reduce the number of Australians, particularly young people, being forced into homelessness by rising rents and the rising cost of living.
Our services are stretched to breaking point meaning we have to turn away some young people who have no choice but to return to violent homes, couch-surfing or unsafe adult rooming and boarding houses.
We can’t allow this to continue – our young people deserve to be able to live in dignity.
Updated
Police officers stabbed in South Australia incident named
South Australian police have revealed the names of the two police officers who are currently in serious but stable conditions in hospital after being stabbed at an incident in the small town of Crystal Brook this afternoon.
Brevet Sergeant Ian Todd, the officer in charge of Port Germein police station, sustained life-threatening critical injuries consisting of stab wounds to the neck and arm, and has been conveyed to the Royal Adelaide hospital by helicopter.
Brevet Sergeant Jordan Allely, the officer in charge of Crystal Brook station, sustained stab wounds to the right leg and arm and it considered to be serious but stable condition. He has also been taken to RAH.
Both officers have other family members in the local police force.
The officers were following up on “a minor disturbance at the local supermarket yesterday”, the SA police commissioner, Grant Stevens, said in a press conference just now.
The officers were helped by the resident of a nearby house, who was first on the scene, and provided “critical support” to them before the ambulance arrived.
Updated
Housing ministers agree to extend national housing and homelessness agreement
The federal and state housing ministers in a meeting today discussed the need to strengthen renters protections, and agreed to extend the national housing and homelessness agreement by a year, according to the NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson.
Speaking on ABC, Jackson said:
It is about what we can do, and perhaps that’s limiting the amount of rent increases in a year. Currently in New South Wales, that’s 12 months. Queensland have just introduced that. But again, there’s not uniformity.
It is about protections against unfair evictions. Some states have taken those steps. In New South Wales, we haven’t, and that’s something that we’re looking at doing.
The national housing and homelessness agreement, which was due to expire in six weeks and governs federal funding to the states for housing services, came under fire last year in a review by the Productivity Commission.
It found the agreement was “ineffective” at meeting its stated objective of improving access to affordable, safe and sustainable housing and preventing and addressing homelessness.
Updated
States and territories urge Senate to pass housing bill
State and territory housing ministers have written to senators urging them to approve the $10bn housing affordability future fund, a move heaping pressure on the Greens and crossbench to pass Labor’s bill.
The ministers approved the letter on Wednesday at a meeting beginning a process of considering nationally consistent renters' rights, which the Greens hope will build pressure for a national rent freeze, one of their core demands to pass the bill.
The Albanese government is proposing a $10bn fund, the earnings from which will result in payouts of up to $500m a year to build 30,000 social and affordable homes.
The Coalition opposes the fund, arguing it is inflationary, and the Greens have refused to bring the bill to a vote unless the government offers improvements, including up to $5bn of direct spending on housing.
The letter, signed by the seven mainland Labor housing ministers and Tasmanian Liberal Guy Barnett, warned that “too many Australians are struggling to find a safe and affordable place to call home, with many experiencing financial stress as a result”.
The housing ministers wrote:
The Housing Australia Future Fund is an important step towards providing more Australians a safe and secure home.
It provides an ongoing stream of commonwealth funding to support the delivery of social and affordable housing.
It also represents an important opportunity for state, territory and commonwealth governments to work together to address the significant housing supply and affordability challenges.
Delays to the passage of this important piece of legislation will put this delivery at risk- delaying Australians’ access to safe and secure housing, delaying much needed investments in acute housing needs and delaying action in the midst of serious housing challenges.
The states' and territories’ own commitments of $11.3bn since Covid will deliver 34,000 homes over the next five years but “the commonwealth must come to the table”, they said.
Rose Jackson, the NSW housing minister, told Guardian Australia the letter indicated “how important the Haff is to all of us in delivering social and affordable housing”.
If they can’t get it done then we’ll do everything we can at a state level, but the Haff would deliver 16,000-19,000 houses in NSW – we need that.
Updated
Majority of Australians support ending the prosecution of whistleblowers
Australians value the role of whistleblowers and a majority support ending the prosecutions of Richard Boyle and David McBride, according to new research.
A survey of about 1,000 people conducted by the Australia Institute and Human Rights Law Centre found 76% of respondents believe whistleblowers make Australia a better place and 84% support stronger legal protection for whistleblowers.
The research also found 60% of people think the government is too secretive about how it deals with allegations of corruption.
In relation to the prosecution of Boyle, who made disclosures about the Australian Taxation Office, 71% of those surveyed thought the government should intervene to end his prosecution. Some 64% of respondents thought the government should do the same in the case of McBride, a former military lawyer alleged to have leaked classified defence information.
The survey results were released to coincide with World Press Freedom day.
Updated
Daniel Andrews should focus on Victoria’s woes: Jane Hume
The shadow finance minister, Jane Hume, has hit back at premiers criticising the Reserve Bank over the 11th rate rise, including Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
Hume told reporters in Canberra:
It was an unusual line of commentary from the states, particularly for a government – I speak for my own coming from Victoria – that has cut infrastructure, has run out of money, has come to the federal government cap in hand asking for a bailout.
Perhaps the Victorian state government should focus on its own woes, and how it’s going to deal with its policy position to help Victorians, rather than commenting on an independent RBA that’s been forced to do all the heavy lifting because of failures of both state and federal governments.”
Updated
Victoria’s university staff to continue industrial action if demands not met
Members of the National Tertiary Education Union have voted to continue industrial action if their claim for a fair enterprise agreement is not met, according to the union’s general secretary, Damien Cahill.
The statewide rally today, which was expected to see thousands strike, is the culmination of a week of events organised by the union. Its backdrop is scores of enterprise bargaining negotiations across the country, including at the University of Melbourne, embroiled in ongoing wage theft cases.
NTEU members from across Victoria have just voted to continue industrial action if our reasonable claims for fair enterprise agreements that enshrine job security, fair and healthy workloads, paid gender affirmation leave and a fair pay rise are not met. @NTEUnion #BetterUnisNWA pic.twitter.com/Lc4fCBmB45
— Damien Cahill (@DamienCahill8) May 3, 2023
Updated
Crowds of hundreds have braved the rain to gather at the Victorian Trades Hall in Melbourne as university staff from across the state walk off the job in a fight for better job security and conditions.
huge turnout in the rally at unimelb and now at trades hall- all out for better workplaces & better universities! pic.twitter.com/2ZRj4hX7mI
— Jordy Silverstein (@jordana_s_) May 3, 2023
The trades hall was built in the mid-1800s by workers as an organising hub for the labour movement. More than a century later, it’s been filled with academic and professional staff at major universities across Victoria - who say their sector is at breaking point.
The @NTEUnion strike is so big we had to move outside. pic.twitter.com/Fmp6qk6X87
— Dr Jess Ison (@Jess_Ison_) May 3, 2023
Outside Trades Hall State Wide Rally now#BetterUnisNWA pic.twitter.com/O5e5RDyVM8
— NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) May 3, 2023
The statewide rally is the culmination of a week of events organised by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). Its backdrop is scores of enterprise bargaining negotiations across the country - including at the University of Melbourne, embroiled in ongoing wage theft cases.
I’m calling it- biggest strike at @unimelb in at least 15 years!
— Katie Wood (@Katieatarchives) May 3, 2023
We voted to consider an open-ended strike in June if management don’t move towards our core claims @NTEUUniMelb pic.twitter.com/AxhUtL0nyB
It’s likely the John Curtin Hotel, an old union watering hole across the road from the trades hall, will be packed with placards and purple this afternoon.
Albemarle green lights new jobs with lithium expansion
One of the world’s largest producers of lithium for the electric car industry is expanding its processing plant in Western Australia, bringing 1000 construction jobs, AAP reports.
Albemarle Corporation announced today the expansion of the plant at Kemerton, pumping up to $US1.5bn ($A2.3bn) into the project, which will make the chemical giant Australia’s largest lithium producer.
Albemarle CEO Kent Masters said the decision to expand was driven by confidence in future demand.
Australia is essential to the global supply chain for energy storage and an important part of our diverse portfolio.
The four processing trains at Kemerton, with trains three and four now given the green light, represents the biggest investment by any company in downstream processing of lithium in Australia.
Annual production capacity at four trains will be 100,000 metric tonnes of lithium hydroxide - enough to produce batteries for more than two million electric vehicles each year.
Tassie devil logo could expose AFL to trademark clash with Warner Bros
It’s been a long time coming for Tasmania to get its own AFL team, but it might not be all smooth sailing from here.
The new Tasmanian team’s logo cannot even remotely resemble the Looney Tunes cartoon character Taz the Tasmanian devil, lawyers have warned, or else the AFL could be up for a costly lawsuit.
Read the full story from Henry Belot:
Updated
Premier says police stabbing ‘difficult news for SA community’
South Australia’s premier, Peter Malinauskas, has informed the state parliament of the incident in which two police officers were stabbed and the alleged attacker shot dead in Crystal Brook.
This is obviously an evolving situation and will be difficult news for the South Australia community to absorb.
My thoughts, and I’m sure those of all our members, are with these two officers and their families. I would like to extend our thoughts and our well wishes to the wider [SA Police] family and all the officers who work so hard to keep our community safe.
Updated
2028 the target date for Tasmanian AFL team
Gillon McLachlan says 2028 is the target date for the Tasmanian team to enter the AFL competition, before adding that play at the new stadium could begin a year before the actual construction work has been finished.
On the stadium, McLachlan says:
It’s an iconic spot at Macquarie Point. It will be a huge asset for the competition and jewel in the crown.
Updated
Tasmania added to AFL and AFLW map
Outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has made official the addition of a Tasmanian team to the competition.
McLachlan, who will hand over to Andrew Dillon on 2 October, travelled to Hobart to make the announcement, where he is now speaking.
McLachlan:
There are big days and then there are really big days. For our national game of Australian rules football in the state of Tasmania, this feels really big. Historic. As the big day for football, it is a big day for Tasmania, and I believe it is a big day for all AFL supporters.
McLachlan thanks Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff, acting prime minister Richard Marles and prime minister Anthony Albanese for their efforts in bringing the 19th licence to Tasmania.
Today is about recognising that Tasmania belongs in our AFL and AFLW competitions. It belongs in the national football conversation and belongs in the national fixture.
Rockliff:
Our time has finally come. We have our right to be represented in the national competition, the Australian football league, and of course the AFLW. This has been a hard fight. Hard fought. By many Tasmanians over a number of generations.
The successful bid has not been without controversy, with hefty government funding for a new stadium having come under scrutiny with critics claiming the money could have been better spent on health and housing.
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SA premier Peter Malinauskas says his thoughts are with officers and their families
I have just spoken to Police Commissioner Grant Stevens in relation to the high-risk incident at Crystal Brook.
— Peter Malinauskas (@PMalinauskasMP) May 3, 2023
My thoughts are with the two injured officers & their families.
Our police put their lives on the line everyday keeping us safe, for that we are forever grateful.
Updated
SA police say one officer ‘in very bad way’ after stabbing incident in Crystal Brook
Both officers who were stabbed in a regional town in South Australia today are recovering at hospital, with one in a “very bad way” after being stabbed in the neck, according to the president of South Australia’s Police Association, Mark Carroll.
Carroll says the two officers, who are from Port Germain and Crystal Brook, where the incident occurred, returned fire at the alleged offender, who was shot dead after they were stabbed.
Here’s Carroll:
We are very worried for their welfare and for the families of these officers. As an organisation we are providing support as best we can for the families [and] will be in touch with them when they arrive here later today. And we’ll do all we can to support their colleagues who will be feeling the pinch at the moment.
Updated
Grattan Institute’s Danielle Wood urges government not to abolish 37% tax bracket
Circling back to the pre-budget address by the Grattan Institute’s Danielle Wood at the National Press Club earlier.
Wood called on the government not to abolish the 37% tax bracket agreed to in the Stage 3 tax cuts in order to reduce the size of tax cuts for high-income earners and save about $8 billion a year.
Wood said this alone would offset the fiscal and inflationary impact of a jobseeker rise, which she argued was a necessary budget measure.
The government could also support an increase in jobseeker and related payments that would reduce poverty and support work readiness for the close to one million Australians living on them.
Updated
Albanese expresses condolences to family of firefighter who died after factory blaze
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said on Wednesday the firefighter, Izabella Nash, had died overnight after she was critically injured in the Slacks Creek fire, south of Brisbane.
Albanese wrote on Twitter:
Firefighter Izabella Nash’s tragic death is a cruel reminder of the risks and dangers firefighters confront every day. Along with all Australians, I offer my deepest sympathies to Izabella’s family, friends and crew members in this time of grief and sorrow.
My thoughts are also with Lia Drew, a second firefighter who was injured and remains in hospital.
We must never forget the bravery of firefighters who work to keep us all safe.
Firefighter Izabella Nash's tragic death is a cruel reminder of the risks and dangers firefighters confront every day.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 3, 2023
Along with all Australians, I offer my deepest sympathies to Izabella's family, friends and crew members in this time of grief and sorrow.
Updated
Chris Minns: Snowy Hydro delay an impediment to ensuring efficient power supply
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has expressed concern over future energy supply after Snowy Hydro announced it had been further delayed.
He said the government was working with the federal government and the energy regulator, as well as engaging in ongoing conversations with the owners of the Eraring power station.
Minns:
The delay of Snowy Hydro by two years is an impediment to making sure that we’ve got an efficient dispatchable supply of power for people in NSW as we work our way through the renewable energy revolution. It’s a difficult transition. We’ve never pretended anything otherwise. We’re going to work closely with the commonwealth government and the AEMO to ensure that there’s ready, dispatchable energy for the people of NSW, that we keep the lights on. It’s one of the leading reasons why, during the election campaign, we kept the door open to ensuring that Eraring is available to the consumers of energy in NSW.
Minns said he had been in discussion with power providers.
Everybody’s got an interest in keeping the lights on. We’ve made it clear that’s a priority for us. We think we can manage the two things – that is the transition towards renewable energy as well as keeping the lights on, but it’s a situation we have to watch and monitor very closely.
Updated
Reports of two police officers stabbed, one person shot dead in SA
Two police officers have reportedly been stabbed and an alleged offender shot dead in an incident in South Australia’s mid-north, AAP reports.
Police have confirmed they have responded to a high-risk incident at Crystal Brook.
They say paramedics are on the scene with multiple people injured.
Updated
Thanks to Natasha May for keeping us up to date with the developments this morning. I’ll be with you for the rest of today.
Updated
Grattan Institute head calls for better pay for workers in care sector
Danielle Wood, chief executive of the Grattan Institute, has stepped up at the National Press Club to give a pre-budget address.
Wood called on the government to introduce better pay for workers in the care sector, particularly childcare educators who “earn little over the minimum wage”.
She said the market reality of this is now biting, with worker shortages in the sector limiting the capacity for the sector to attract and retain staff.
Here’s Wood:
The fact that trained workers doing this critical and emotionally challenging work earn little more than those flipping burgers at McDonald’s or working the checkout at Bunnings should shock us.
She also called on the government to get rid of the childcare activity test, arguing it has restricted low-income parents access to subsidised childcare.
The activity test significantly restricts access to subsidised childcare for families where one parent works less than 15 hours a week. And while it was conceived as an incentive to encourage mums to work, it has achieved the opposite. Many parents have been caught in a ‘chicken and egg’ conundrum: they cannot find a job because they haven’t got suitable care, but they can’t get subsidised care because they don’t have a job.
Women in Economics Network Chair Dr Angela Jackson – in the audience today – has estimated that the removal of the activity test would result in 40,000 more women with children under 5 participating in the workforce and an increase of $4.4 billion per year to the economy.
Updated
Passing on the blog baton to Jordyn Beazley. See you tomorrow!
Minns welcomes higher cap on concerts at Allianz stadium
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, says the new higher cap on major events at Allianz stadium is a win for rock’n’roll.
Premier Chris Minns seeks to lift cap on major events at Allianz stadium. “It's wonderful for the New South Wales economy and it's fantastic for rock and roll.” 🤘🏻 #nswpol #rockon pic.twitter.com/vEfothTOSp
— Tamsin Rose (@tamsinroses) May 3, 2023
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Thousands of university staff expected to march in Melbourne strike
University staff are marching to Trades Hall in Melbourne as part of a state-wide day of action headed by the National Tertiary Education Union over casualisation, wage theft and overwork in the sector.
“The workers united will never be defeated!” pic.twitter.com/Mhqdhnatou
— Farrago Magazine (@FarragoMagazine) May 3, 2023
Workers at the University of Melbourne’s Baillieu library have walked off the job to join the strikers. The university is currently negotiating a new enterprise agreement.
Unimelb library @NTEUnion members on strike 💜✊ pic.twitter.com/gUhuTje65C
— Katie Wood (@Katieatarchives) May 3, 2023
Massive turnout by @NTEUVictoria members on strike at @UniMelb, for secure jobs, safe and fair workloads, WFH rights and a fair pay rise. #BetterUnisNWA ✊✊✊💜💜💜 pic.twitter.com/TI69ma6P00
— Damien Cahill (@DamienCahill8) May 3, 2023
Thousands are expected to take part in the action, disrupting teaching, administration and research for the afternoon.
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Barry Humphries to receive joint state funeral, Albanese says
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was interviewed by Piers Morgan after he touched down in the UK for King Charles’ coronation following Queen Elizabeth’s death last year.
Morgan asked Albanese about “Australia’s other Queen, Dame Edna Everage” following the news of her creator Barry Humphries’ death.
Albanese revealed that a state funeral will be co-hosted by both NSW and Victoria:
There will be a state funeral for Barry Humphries as well, co-hosted by the New South Wales and the Victorian government and the Australian government. My government will be a part of that as well.
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Greens senator calls for PwC ban over tax leaks
PwC should be barred from government contracts and the chief executive of the Australian operations should stand aside, Greens senator Barbara Pocock has said after the global consulting firm allegedly profited by sharing confidential government tax policy with clients.
The Tax Practitioners Board deregistered former PwC adviser, Peter-John Collins, last year after finding that he shared confidential information and documentation obtained through consultations with Treasury.
The Australian Financial Review reported that staff at the big four accounting firm in Australia and internationally then monetised the information passed to them by Collins.
Pocock said PwC Australia chief executive, Tom Seymour, should stand aside until a new inquiry is held into the issue.
This is not an organisational culture you want to contract with.
There is a dire need for transparency and accountability in the consulting industry and these latest revelations only make the need for reform more urgent.
Seymour told an AFR business event in March that the confidentiality breach by the former adviser didn’t meet PwC or community standards. He said the firm has since developed “world-leading conflict management tools”.
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Famous faces wish Guardian Australia a happy birthday
You know when it’s your birthday and you get that warm fuzzy feeling from your friends taking the time to say how much you mean to them? Guardian Australia is turning 10 this month and received these lovely messages from some faces you might recognise.
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University staff strike across Victoria
University staff across Victoria are readying their placards to converge on Trades Hall this afternoon as part of a statewide strike organised by the National Tertiary Education Union.
Standing with @NTEUVictoria for the strike today with my colleagues at RMIT and other universities. If you’re a student, please know that being an academic is often difficult but many of us stay because we love working with you and sharing our passion and knowledge with you.
— Tito Ambyo (@Tito_Ambyo) May 2, 2023
Major Victorian universities including Monash, Deakin, Melbourne and La Trobe are in the midst of lengthy enterprise bargaining negotiations, with Deakin recently voting against a non-union proposal. They’re calling for greater protections of casual staff, an end to wage theft and secure workloads in the sector.
As a staff member, student and proud NTEU member at UoM and Monash, I'm striking today for better universities and workplaces. The demands of union branches at both institutions include 80% secure work by 2024, a pay rise in line with rising cost of living and workable workloads. https://t.co/NuGj80WR4Q
— Nathan Fioritti (@NathanFioritti) May 2, 2023
I've been a precariously employed university worker for 9 years. I estimate I've had 30 contracts and tens of thousands of dollars stolen in wage theft. Today I strike for an end to precarity and better work conditions with @NTEULaTrobe @NTEUnion @NTEUVictoria
— Dr Jess Ison (@Jess_Ison_) May 2, 2023
Approximately three in ten university jobs are currently permanent. Three universities have accepted decasualisation clauses in the past six months, including Western Sydney University, Australian Catholic University and University of Technology Sydney, while the University of Sydney is poised to enact a clause converting 330 casual positions to permanent and granting sick leave to casual staff.
I'm striking today for the secure teaching-AND-research jobs our sector needs. @NTEUVictoria @NTEUUniMelb pic.twitter.com/eYKqnZR5N3
— Heather Merle (@heather_benbow) May 3, 2023
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Chief scientist says impact of quantum technology will be comparable to digital revolution
The national quantum strategy was based on consultation led by Australia’s chief scientist, Dr Cathy Foley, and with guidance from the National Quantum Advisory Committee. Foley said in a statement:
The impact of the quantum revolution will be comparable to the digital revolution that brought us transistors and lasers, which are the basis of all our modern electronics, computers and communications.
Quantum sensors are already enabling the detection of things that were previously hidden to us down to the tiniest scales, bringing new sensitivity in medical imaging and in detection of underground mineral deposits. Australia’s quantum industry will improve cybersecurity with advances in quantum encryption and communications. Quantum computers will enable calculation, modelling and data management in ways impossible for classical computers.
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Government releases first national quantum strategy
The federal government has announced Australia’s first national quantum strategy.
The strategy encompasses five priority areas:
Investing in research, development and commercialisation.
Securing quantum infrastructure and materials.
Growing a skilled workforce.
Supporting national interests.
Building an ethical and inclusive quantum ecosystem.
Based on the principles of quantum physics, quantum technology relies on tiny systems like atoms and subatomic particles, with applications in computing and many sectors. The CSIRO estimates quantum industries could create 19,400 direct jobs and $5.9bn in annual revenue by 2045.
Ed Husic, the minister for industry and science, said in a statement:
Quantum technologies will be truly transformative.
We are already seeing how quantum sensing equipment is making a huge difference for industry.
In time, quantum computing will unleash incredible computing power that can phenomenally outperform traditional computing.
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Testing showing ‘very strong and positive results’ in Beetaloo, Manison says
Taking questions, Manison reveals that testing for fracking has already commenced.
We have seen some very positive exploration results out in the Beetaloo and we will see further flow testing that will be happening this year in the Beetaloo and some has already commenced.
We are hoping to see, later on next year, that those flow tests, that important exploration work is going to demonstrate that it is feasible, that you will see those companies moving to pilot production.
There is an incredible amount of gas in the Beetaloo. They are getting very strong and positive results. It is estimated that there is 500 TCF in one of the shell formations alone in the Beetaloo and when Inpex went to file investment decision on the project, we are talking about 13 TCF. You look at those numbers and you can see what the real potential is about secure energy supply from the Beetaloo.
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NT deputy chief minister says gas a ‘cleaner source of energy’ than coal
The deputy chief minister, Nicole Manison, is framing the decision to allow fracking in the Beetaloo Basin as a decision between coal and gas:
Territorians can feel absolutely assured that the onshore gas development in the NT will be safe, it will be sustainable and that we have the best regulation in place. Most importantly, that this body of work is based on scientific evidence.
… Right now in this country we still have a very heavy reliance on coal-fired power for base load power.
I ask you this question: Do we want to see more coal-fired power generation, or would you rather see a cleaner source of energy such as gas?
We are striving towards our renewable energy future, especially here in the NT.
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Traditional owners have power to veto projects, says NT chief minister
Fyles insists the decision to allow fracking in the Beetaloo basin “won’t come at a cost to Territorians”:
All applications made for gas production, subject to the industry’s successful exploration and appraisal results, will go through this rigorous approval and monitoring process. I want to make it clear, traditional owners, Aboriginal Territorians have the power to veto a project.
Now is the time for the NT to provide the energy that the world needs to transition to renewable energies.
We are absolutely serious about protecting our environment and our social amenity. This won’t come at a cost to Territorians.
The strategic, baseline assessments has been a significant body of work and provides that baseline that is there into the future.
We have increased our understanding of the environment. We have undertaken a comprehensive body of work so that we can meet those independent recommendations, all 135 from the inquiry.
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Northern Territory to allow fracking Beetaloo Basin to go ahead
The Northern Territory’s chief minister, Natasha Fyles, has announced the territory government will allow onshore gas development at the Beetaloo Basin:
Today, we are releasing the final implementation report into the scientific inquiry into hydraulic fracking. In 2018 the scientific inquiry, chaired by justice Rachel Pepper and independently concluded its final report that industry risks could be managed if all of the inquiry’s 135 recommendations were implemented.
…. We have strengthened government agencies, we have strengthened legislation to rigorously assess environmental management plans. We have put in place the plans to develop a strong compliance program and we have also got the measures to provide education and guidance to industry.
The Territory government will move carefully to manage the onshore gas industry through our strengthened regulatory framework, ensuring greater transparency and accountability and ensuring that traditional owners, Aboriginal people, have a seat at the table.
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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says the $10,000 donation to Friends of the Western Ground Parrot is a fitting gift to King Charles to mark his Coronation on behalf of the Australian people:
His Majesty King Charles III has long championed conservation and sustainability, so I am pleased to mark his Coronation with a national contribution to the conservation of the Western Ground Parrot.
Known as Kyloring by the Noongar people, the Western Ground Parrot is listed as critically endangered. This contribution will complement other conservation efforts underway to protect the Kyloring.
The announcement from the prime minister describes the Western Ground Parrot as “shy and rarely seen, as they spend most of their time on the ground in low dense heathland.”
The government said Friends of the Western Ground Parrot Inc. is a registered charity that supports conservation of the rare Australian parrot through recovery and awareness projects, including monitoring and translocations to create a secure second wild population.
This gift keeps with an emerging tradition of Australia marking significant royal occasions with support to the conservation of Australian native fauna.
Past contributions have gone towards the conservation of the Bilby, Mountain Pygmy Possum, Numbat and Koala.
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Australia's coronation gift to King Charles is a donation to protect rare parrot
The Australian people’s coronation gift to King Charles III will be a $10,000 donation to help conserve the endangered western ground parrot.
The assistant minister to the prime minister, Patrick Gorman, has announced that the government will make a “national contribution” to the WA charity Friends of the Western Ground Parrot to mark the coronation of the monarch, who is well known for championing the environment.
With only 150 western ground parrots left in the wild, the government could not very well give Charles one of the rare birds.
🧵Thread:
— Patrick Gorman MP (@PatrickGormanMP) May 3, 2023
From Cape Arid to the Coronation 🦜
Today, Prime Minister @AlboMP confirmed that the Australian Goverment will make a national contribution to WA charity, @FriendsWGP (Friends of the Western Ground Parrot). pic.twitter.com/MQV5SL1Fdo
This will be our gift on behalf of the Australian people to King Charles III to mark his Coronation.
— Patrick Gorman MP (@PatrickGormanMP) May 3, 2023
This will provide national and international attention to the conservation of the Western Ground Parrot.
Known as Kyloring in Noongar, the parrot is critically-endangered. pic.twitter.com/LB4oD3PRmQ
Bushfires in our state have threatened the parrot’s population, but Friends of the Western Ground Parrot are doing important work to boost their numbers.
— Patrick Gorman MP (@PatrickGormanMP) May 3, 2023
I know that this significant contribution will help to protect this WA local.#auspol pic.twitter.com/5IIBfsJagx
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Announcement on 19th AFL licence expected today as McLachlan hints ‘see you in Tassie’
With the simple quote “see you in Tassie tomorrow”, outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan confirmed the league’s 19th licence will be announced today.
The AFL sent out McLachlan’s message after the 18 club presidents unanimously backed the licence on Tuesday and the league commission promptly signed off on it.
That follows Saturday’s announcement of federal funding for a new waterfront stadium in Hobart, the last significant barrier to Tasmania having its own AFL team.
Now the details will start emerging, with the team likely to join the AFL in 2027.
There is already speculation that the team’s probable name, the Tasmanian Devils, would breach a commercial copyright.
Tasmania will be the first expansion team since GWS were awarded a licence in 2010 and entered the AFL in 2012.
The state government, which spearheaded the bid, will contribute $12m a year over 12 years towards a team, plus $60m for a high-performance centre.
It will chip in $375m for the new $715m 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point, which opponents have labelled a waste of money amid a housing and health crisis.
The federal government is contributing $240m and the AFL $15m.
– AAP
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Anyone else struggling to get their hands on coronation merch?
I’m a Republican, my wife however a Monarchist. We’ve noticed that neither Woolies or Coles are sporting any Coronation promo. This from the people who’d sell whoopie cushions for National Fart week.. our supermarkets influencing our culture?
— John Hewson (@JohnRHewson) May 2, 2023
For everyone buzzing to get their hands on a free portrait of the King I've been reliably informed (by calling my local MP and asking for a portrait of Charles) that we have to wait a few weeks post official crowning for offices to get them https://t.co/7vZlCsaYPN
— Caitlin Cassidy (@caitecassidy) May 3, 2023
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Daniel Andrews says interest rate rises are ‘smashing families’
Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, says the 11 interest rises in 12 months is “smashing families.”
Speaking outside parliament, he said:
I’m not going have a go at any member of the Reserve Bank. But you know, I will remember at national cabinet being told, ‘Go and borrow. If you don’t borrow, then we’re going to have 25% unemployment, we’re not going to get through this, we will not survive this.
So that was the message to governments. The same message was applied to households right across our country – that interest rates would not be going up.
I’m not sure that 11 interest rate rises in 12 months is smashing inflation. I’m certain it’s smashing families. So again, I don’t know that pulling this lever is necessarily delivering the outcome that the bank wants, and that’s to get inflation under control.
Inflation is quite complex. There are a number of demand or spending driven price pressures, and then there’s a whole lot of supply side stuff. Not being able to get products, not being able to find staff. All of those sorts of issues, for instance rents and housing is a really significant cost pressure … interest rate rises is not the answer to that.
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King Charles waxwork unveiled in Sydney
Madame Tussauds has unveiled the waxwork of King Charles III outside Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building, two days ahead of the real monarch’s coronation.
They were hiding … the king !?! pic.twitter.com/a9CZtUfDWJ
— Rafqa Touma (@At_Raf_) May 2, 2023
Bagpipes blared, guards in uniform stomped and red curtains were drawn back to reveal the figure in all its uncanny glory – accompanied by wax family members William, Kate, and Harry. (Meghan was notably absent.)
The waxwork of Charles took nine months to complete. Each hair was individually inserted into his head, thin layers of paint make up his skin, and he wears a suit made by the real Charles’s tailor.
These eyes are staring straight into my soul pic.twitter.com/5XNNdjESD1
— Rafqa Touma (@At_Raf_) May 2, 2023
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Nick Cave says he couldn’t refuse invite to ‘stupefyingly spectacular’ coronation
Nick Cave has explained he couldn’t refuse an invitation to King Charles’s coronation due to his attraction to the uncanny.
Despite professing he is not a monarchist, the singer-songwriter says he holds “an inexplicable emotional attachment to the Royals”.
Cave is among the official Australian delegation attending the coronation to be led by prime minister Anthony Albanese and Matildas captain Sam Kerr, who will be the flag bearer.
Cave has explained his decision on his personal blog, The Red Hand Files, this morning in response to fans asking: “Why the f*** are you going to the King’s coronation?
Dear Jon, Adrian, Roger and Matt,
I’ll make this a quick one because I’ve got to work out what I am going to wear to the Coronation.
I am not a monarchist, nor am I a royalist, nor am I an ardent republican for that matter; what I am also not is so spectacularly incurious about the world and the way it works, so ideologically captured, so damn grouchy, as to refuse an invitation to what will more than likely be the most important historical event in the UK of our age. Not just the most important, but the strangest, the weirdest.
I once met the late Queen at an event at Buckingham Palace for ‘Aspirational Australians living in the UK’ (or something like that). It was a mostly awkward affair, but the Queen herself, dressed in a salmon coloured twin-set, seemed almost extraterrestrial and was the most charismatic woman I have ever met.
Maybe it was the lighting, but she actually glowed. As I told my mother – who was the same age as the Queen and, like the Queen, died in her nineties – about that day, her old eyes filled with tears. When I watched the Queen’s funeral on the television last year I found, to my bafflement, that I was weeping myself as the coffin was stripped of the crown, orb and sceptre and lowered through the floor of St. George’s Chapel.
I guess what I am trying to say is that, beyond the interminable but necessary debates about the abolition of the monarchy, I hold an inexplicable emotional attachment to the Royals – the strangeness of them, the deeply eccentric nature of the whole affair that so perfectly reflects the unique weirdness of Britain itself. I’m just drawn to that kind of thing – the bizarre, the uncanny, the stupefyingly spectacular, the awe-inspiring.
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Sydney to get more major concerts with stadium cap to be lifted
Sydney will be able to host more international acts as the annual cap on concerts in the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct is set to increase, AAP reports.
The SCG precinct and new $828m Sydney Football Stadium is currently permitted to host just four concerts a year, but plans are under way to raise that to 20.
Premier Chris Minns has directed Venues NSW to seek regulatory approval to lift the cap, paving the way for major international acts that will bring in millions of dollars a year in economic activity and boost tourism and jobs.
Minns said today:
Sydney is a global city and we should be able to host global acts from around the world. We need to utilise our entertainment venues to their fullest potential and show to the rest of Australia and the world that NSW is now open for business.
Lifting the concert cap to 20 a year could bring in an additional $1.3bn for NSW businesses across the lifetime of the stadium.
The restriction has meant that Venues NSW has been unable to host international artists such as the Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Billy Joel and Beyoncé.
Each international artist is estimated to bring in between $5m and $7.5m a show of economic benefit to the NSW economy, supporting thousands of jobs.
The cap was costing NSW businesses between $40m and $60m a year, Minns said.
Stakeholders including local community groups, major operators, surrounding landowners, neighbours, and local businesses would be consulted about the change.
The cap could be lifted as soon as October.
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Australian Republic Movement urges Albanese not to pledge allegiance to Charles
Meanwhile, the Australian Republic Movement has called on the prime minister to reconsider his decision to make the “disloyal and dishonest” oath of allegiance to Britain’s new monarch.
The movement has proposed its own pledge to Australians and Australian values instead of to King Charles this Saturday:
I swear that my loyalty is to the Australian people and Australian values of equality, democracy and meritocracy. I pledge to stand against hereditary entitlement and commit to the realisation of these values in our Constitution so that all elected offices under the law, including our Head of State are accountable to the Australian people. As I pledge today, I look forward to the day when Australia’s Head of State is also bound to swear loyalty to us, rather than the other way around.
💬 Stand up for Australians Prime Minister! The Australian Republic Movement is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to stand up for Australian values by refusing to pledge allegiance to Charles.
— Australian Republic Movement (@AusRepublic) May 2, 2023
While it is appropriate he attend the ceremony, he should do so as a…
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Meet you in the 1844 room
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said it was an honour to meet with King Charles at Buckingham Palace upon arriving in England for the coronation.
The pair met in the 1844 room, which is named for the year in which the space received Russian tsar Nicholas I. The room is often where the royal family receives important visitors.
Over the years the room has seen Queen Elizabeth II present Angelina Jolie with an honorary damehood in 2014, and Will and Kate receive Barack and Michelle Obama in 2011, among its many guests.
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Nursing union criticises rating system’s accuracy
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has welcomed a reduction in the number of aged care homes rated at one star, but has continued to question how accurate the system is.
Late last year, the federal government launched a five star rating system for residential aged care homes, which allows families to research and benchmark facilities.
In its first quarterly update, 8% of facilities were judged as either needing improvement (two star) or needing significant improvement (one star) to meet appropriate standards.
That figure has now fallen to 5% with 125 facilities not meeting the “acceptable” threshold. Six facilities received a one star rating.
The union’s national secretary, Annie Butler, said the rating system should require higher standards from aged care homes:
Whilst we’re pleased to see a reduction in the number of facilities rated at 1 and 2, we don’t believe it really provides an accurate reflection of the industry’s compliance, given that staffing is weighted at less than a quarter (22%) of the total rating.
This again shows why safe staffing levels and skills mix must be made mandatory to ensure that nursing home operators work toward achieving 5 stars for staffing and ensuring that older Australians get safe, quality care.
Coastal areas of Victoria are being warned about severe damaging winds.
⚠️SEVERE WEATHER WARNING for DAMAGING WINDS current for coastal and elevated areas of #Victoria. Winds are expected to ease in the west and over Alpine areas early this arvo, before easing over central and eastern areas by the early evening.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) May 2, 2023
Details at: https://t.co/JrHe5r6hFC pic.twitter.com/VlVTHU8erv
Remains found in croc after missing fisherman search
The search for missing fisherman Kevin Darmody has ended in tragedy after human remains were discovered inside a crocodile found upstream from where he disappeared, AAP reports.
Chalmers will be focusing on budget, not coronation; Bandt calls for republic debate
As we mentioned earlier, prime minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles during the coronation this week.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, for his part, won’t be stopping his budget preparation on Saturday night to swear the oath of allegiance to the king. Chalmers told ABC News he had plenty of opportunities to do so being sworn in as a minister and will instead be focusing on writing his budget night speech, not watching the coronation. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t see it as an important day,” Chalmers said.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, is critical of the Albanese government for taking the republic discussion off the table:
I’ve heard the calls for everyone, no matter where they are in the country, to stop what they’re doing and swear their own oath of allegiance as well. I think that is a strained attempt to force connection with a head of state that we didn’t get to choose.
I mean, this should be a moment where we’re having a debate about what kind of country we want to be, who should be our head of state, and the government seems to be taking that debate off the table.
It’s time in this country, that we had that discussion that we strike a treaty with our First Nations people, become a republic. That’s the informed, reasonable, sober discussion we should be having at the moment and the government seems to be taking it off the table.
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Bandt slams Labor’s housing fund
Adam Bandt is defending the decision not to back the government’s housing reforms.
If investment in the future fund makes money then they’ll spend it on public housing with a cap of $500m.
Last year the fund lost money so there would have been no money spent on public housing.
There won’t be one house under this fund built before the next election because of the way the government is approaching it. Because they’re not directly investing money and building public housing, they’re putting it as a gamble on the stock market and waiting for a few years until that might make a return. And last year, it didn’t. Which means if the government went ahead with their proposal, then we’ve had no money spent on affordable housing last year.
Still confused about the housing fund? Paul Karp has your answers:
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Bandt: ‘We should be putting the foot on the accelerator to get to renewables’
After the news of Snow Hydro 2.0’s delay, Adam Bandt is calling on Labor to “ditch” the $600m that Scott Morrison’s government committed towards the Kurri Kurri gas-fired power plant in NSW’s Hunter Valley.
The Greens leader said the new government needs to address the legacy of the previous Coalition government’s energy decisions:
There’s significant problems with some instructions that [Snowy Hydro] got from the last government that haven’t been fully addressed by this government, including, as you mentioned around building a new gas plant at a time when we should be putting the foot on the accelerator to get to renewables.
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Snowy Hydro 2.0’s delay will add to soaring bill
Dennis Barnes, Snowy Hydro’s new boss, just told Radio National that its giant Snowy pumped hydro project would be delayed by one to two years.
Barnes didn’t give a date but Snowy had previously told the market operator its already delayed date of completion for the project was the end of 2027, as we noted here:
So one to two years, if it can be believed, would put the multi-billion dollar project back to 2029 or even 2030 when power starts to flow.
The incoming New South Wales Labor government were already factoring in some delay, and now they have a better date, vague as it is, to work towards.
Barnes notably didn’t give a price for the overall project, which looks like swelling past $10bn if the grid connections are added. Its original price was about $2bn.
Some wonder if it will ever get built. What’s the odds that the big driller, dubbed Florence, won’t get stuck again?
Chris Bowen, the federal climate and energy minister, is due to speak at a conference in Sydney this morning. Perhaps he’ll shed some more light on the venture.
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Adam Bandt calls for Albanese government to reverse RBA rate rise
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, says it was the “wrong decision” from the Reserve Bank to raise its key interest rate yesterday.
Bandt has told ABC Radio:
This is the wrong decision from the Reserve Bank. The Reserve Bank and the government are using everyday people as cannon fodder in the war on inflation.
Bandt is calling on the Albanese government to reverse the RBA’s decision. Asked about what justifies such an intervention on the central bank, Bandt says:
The government has the power in existing legislation precisely for crisis moments like these to step in and say no, look, the Reserve Bank shouldn’t have to do all the heavy lifting, we as government are going to do it instead.
In response to the Greens’ calls for intervention, treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended his decision to respect the RBA’s independence:
I don’t typically take my economic advice from the Greens political party. We think that the independence of the Reserve Bank is an important feature of the system.
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Snowy Hydro 2.0 to be delayed for up to two more years
Snowy Hydro 2.0 will be delayed for another one to two years, according to Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes.
For months, one of the project’s three tunnel boring machines has been trapped in unexpectedly soft rock after a nine metre hole opened up.
Barnes has told ABC Radio it’s expected the tunnel boring machine will be back moving in “weeks not months” but it is “one of a number of factors” delaying the project.
He’s named the pandemic, bushfires and availability of materials and labour as other factors.
Barnes didn’t give a date for completion but Snowy had previously told the market operator its already-delayed date of completion for the project was the end of 2027.
So one to two more years would put the multi-billion dollar project back to 2029 or 2030 when power starts to flow.
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The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says yesterday’s reserve bank decision to lift interest rates for an eleventh time was a “brutal reminder” of the tough economic circumstances.
Speaking to ABC News after the decision which took the market by surprise after the previous month’s pause, Chalmers said:
It was a pretty, pretty brutal reminder of the challenges that are in our economy, particularly this inflationary challenge. And a really difficult day for Australians who are already under the pump.
Chalmers said the decision from the reserve bank “won’t be fundamentally recasting our strategy.”
Our strategy is already defined by restraint in the budget in October. We bank 99% of the upward revision in revenue, and we’ll bank most of it again once we get the final revenue numbers for the May budget.
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Albanese to swear allegiance to King Charles but won't 'shy away' from republican views
Asked whether he would swear allegiance, Albanese replied he “will do what is entirely appropriate as the representative of Australia” promising to “engage in that spirit” by swearing the oath – as he has done 10 times when sworn in to parliament and as a minister.
Albanese noted that Australians had voted at the 1999 referendum to remain a monarchy, but acknowledged that Australians have a “wide range of views” on whether to become a republic.
I think that Australia should have an Australian as our head of state, I don’t shy away from that. I haven’t changed my views.
But my priority is constitutional recognition – I can’t imagine going forward, for example, going forward as was suggested by some legitimately that we should be having another referendum on the republic before that occurs.
I think at some stage in the future that will occur … What I don’t want to do is to be a prime minister who presides over just constitutional debates.
Albanese cited other priorities for his prime ministership including “dealing with the challenge of climate change, getting an economy that works for people, making more things in Australia, engaging in our region”.
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Albanese pours cold water on republic talk in Piers Morgan interview
Anthony Albanese has said he doesn’t want to be a prime minister who “just presides over constitutional debates”, warning republicans in Australia that a referendum is “not imminent”.
The Australian prime minister made the comments in an interview with conservative broadcaster Piers Morgan ahead of the coronation of King Charles III.
Albanese also confirmed despite being a “lifelong republican” he will swear allegiance to the new king in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
Albanese had an audience with King Charles on Tuesday, which was said to be “insightful and rewarding”, reiterating an invitation to him and any members of the royal family to visit Australia.
After his election in May 2022 Albanese appointed an assistant minister for the republic despite promising that an Indigenous voice to parliament and the executive was his priority for constitutional change.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II in September prompted debate in Australia about when it might become a republic, but Albanese largely steered clear of the topic out of respect for her.
Albanese told Morgan that despite being a “lifelong republican” he still “respects our institutions” and has “a great deal of respect for King Charles”.
Albanese said he had a “terrific meeting” with King Charles when he visited the UK for the Queen’s funeral, describing it as a “great honour” to represent Australia during “a real moment of reflection”.
All Australians wish King Charles well regardless of the different views of people will have about our constitutional arrangements.
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Evacuation flight from Sudan brings 36 Australians to safety
An evacuation flight carrying 36 Australians out of Sudan has safely landed in Cyprus.
More than 190 Australians and their family members have now departed Sudan.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) May 2, 2023
Overnight, Australia supported the international evacuation effort with a flight carrying 36 Australians and their family members, as well as citizens from six other countries.
We are in contact with registered Australians on further departure options from Port Sudan.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) May 2, 2023
If you're an Australian in Sudan, register to receive the latest information https://t.co/VcaXXTFaPW
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, says 190 Australians have now left the country.
Wong told ABC Radio that the Australian defence force asset also brought citizens from six other countries as well as Australians out of the conflict zone.
But Wong said there were still Australians who remained in the “very volatile situation”.
Without an Australian embassy in Sudan, Wong said extra consular officials have been sent to Djibouti, Jeddah, Cyprus, and Cairo to help Australians evacuating.
On whether Australia would be providing any further humanitarian assistance to Sudan, Wong said:
We will we obviously provide core funding to those UN agencies that are already delivering assistance, and to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent.
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Firefighter dies after battling factory blaze in Brisbane
A firefighter has died after being injured during a large factory blaze south of Brisbane, AAP reports.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said on Wednesday the firefighter, Izabella Nash, had died overnight after she was critically injured in the Slacks Creek fire. The organisation said on Twitter:
The thoughts of QFES are with Izzy’s family, friends and crew members.
A second firefighter was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with serious injuries on Tuesday after paramedics were called to the Slacks Creek blaze about 2.30am.
Safety teams wearing breathing apparatus were involved in the firefighters’ rescue, which took place during the hottest part of the battle against the blaze, QFES deputy commissioner Michael Wassing:
It is very rare that our firefighters are injured in this way and that’s because of the enormity of the training and the professionalism of our firefighters.
The fire was contained just after 6am on Tuesday and police declared a crime scene as they worked to determine the cause of the blaze.
Officers checked the surrounding area for CCTV and business owners were interviewed by investigators.
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Good morning! Natasha May reporting for blog duty.
Aged care ratings improve but minister warns ‘a lot more to be done’
The number of aged care homes not meeting basic quality and staffing levels has fallen slightly, according to new government figures.
Late last year, the federal government launched a five star rating system for residential aged care homes, which allows families to research and benchmark facilities.
In its first quarterly update, 8% of facilities were judged as either needing improvement (two star) or needing significant improvement (one star) to meet appropriate standards.
That figure has now fallen to 5% with 125 facilities not meeting the “acceptable” threshold. Six facilities received a one star rating.
The aged care minister, Anika Wells, said the new system was improving transparency and accountability:
I’m pleased we’re seeing incremental improvements in the ratings but there’s a lot more work to be done in aged care. Star ratings offers insider access for the first time to those it impacts most – older people and their families.
Everyone can now check how a particular service is performing and use that knowledge to make choices about the best residential care for themselves or their loved ones.
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Dozens of top scientists call for NT fracking ban in open letter to government
Almost 100 of Australia’s leading scientists have called for the Northern Territory government to ban unconventional gas projects – including those proposed for the Beetaloo basin between Katherine and Tennant Creek – because of their effects on the climate.
In an open letter, the scientists say the territory government is pursuing fracking in the Beetaloo basin despite the clear connection between fossil fuels and global heating.
The signatories include former leader of the CSIRO’s earth systems and climate change hub David Karoly, Nobel laureate Prof Peter Doherty, former Australian of the year Prof Fiona Stanley and Prof Matthew England.
The letter says:
Many of us called for a ban on fracking in the Northern Territory in 2018 and again in 2021 because of the damage it will inflict on our climate.
The science has not changed and in 2023 the situation has only become more urgent.
It comes ahead of an expected decision from the NT government about moving from exploration to production in the Beetaloo and weeks after the federal parliament passed amendments to the safeguard mechanism for major emitters. Those amendments included a requirement for onsite emissions from projects in the Beetaloo to be net zero.
Analysis by Reputex in 2021 found a high production scenario in the Beetaloo could lead to an additional 1.4bn tonnes of life cycle emissions over 20 years – which includes emissions from when the gas is sold and used.
Karoly says:
Fracking in the Beetaloo Basin will add to global warming, with impacts on all people and all environments around the world. It needs to be stopped.
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Housing ministers to meet in Canberra to discuss renters' rights and affordability
The housing minister, Julie Collins, will meet her state and territory counterparts in Canberra today, where they will discuss pathways to strengthening renters’ rights.
Collins has urged the Coalition and cross bench to support the government’s $10bn housing fund, which aims to build thousands of affordable homes.
In an open letter to the nation’s housing ministers, the Greens have called for a two-year freeze followed by a 2% cap on rent increases, and an end to no-grounds evictions.
The Greens say rent caps should apply to the property, not just to individual leases to ensure tenants do not face eviction so their landlords can hike the rent.
They seek to close a loophole allowing landlords to start a bidding war between prospective tenants.
The party will introduce their proposal to parliament during budget week.
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Victorian university staff to stage walkout over pay and conditions
Thousands of workers from Victorian universities will walk off the job today as part of national industrial action, pushing back against wage theft, casual employment and underfunding.
The week of action, launched by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Monday, comes in protest to chronic casualisation in the sector. Approximately only three in 10 university jobs are currently permanent.
@sallymcmanus kicking off day 2 with a message of congratulations and support for the National Week of Action!
— NTEU (@NTEUnion) May 1, 2023
Better Universities now! #BetterUnisNWA @unionsaustralia pic.twitter.com/jkd6I4SoR9
The Victorian branch of the union is the centre of the action today, with protesters from universities across the state including La Trobe University, Monash University, the University of Melbourne and Deakin University to converge on the Victorian Trades Hall at 12.30pm.
Three universities have accepted decasualisation clauses in the past six months, including Western Sydney University, Australian Catholic University and the University of Technology Sydney, while the University of Sydney is poised to enact a clause converting 330 casual positions to permanent.
Monash, Melbourne and Deakin have enterprise bargaining negotiations ongoing.
check out this open letter from staff at Melbourne Law School in support of this Wednesday's @NTEUnion strike, and expressing our concerns about management’s lack of meaningful engagement with the key enterprise bargaining claims. https://t.co/v4MWko4ydw
— james parker (@farsidevirtual) April 30, 2023
NTEU president Dr Alison Barnes said decasualisation provisions should be rolled out in the enterprise bargaining agreements of every Australian university.
For too long, Australian universities have allowed casualisation and its toxic twin, wage theft, to flourish. We are actively bargaining at 24 universities and intend to give thousands of workers the rights, security and stability that comes with permanent employment.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to the day’s rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and these are our top stories you need to know this morning. My colleague Natasha May will be along shortly to take you through another no doubt busy news day.
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has accused the Liberal party of flirting with the “far-right fringe” of the Indigenous voice debate thanks to a segment on a Sky News show hosted by former senator Cory Bernardi. As shadow minister Michaelia Cash appeared as a guest on the show, Bernardi drew comparisons between the Indigenous voice and apartheid, claiming the government’s proposal would “divide us along racial grounds”. Cash, however, said later that she did not endorse the comparison.
The battles over next week’s budget are rumbling on today as we report that the government will increase childcare subsidies by $9bn over four years as Labor fends off criticism that it is not doing enough to combat rising cost of living. It’s also under pressure on jobseeker, as independent senator David Pocock said the Morrison government’s post-Covid decision to lift jobseeker payments by $50 a fortnight helped more people than the Albanese government’s mooted 55-plus budget proposal.
As soaring rents add to the cost of living crisis for many, anxious eyes will turn to Canberra, where the housing minister, Julie Collins, will meet her state and territory counterparts to discuss pathways to strengthening renters’ rights.
Anthony Albanese has had a private audience with King Charles at Buckingham Palace after he arrived in the UK for the monarch’s coronation ceremony on Saturday. It comes as the king’s sister, Princess Anne, said she wasn’t sure that Charles’s idea about a “slimmed-down monarchy” was a very good one. We have a full story on that here and we’ll bring you ore about the PM’s visit as it comes in (though traditionally, such conversations remain private).
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